1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for positioning sliders to enable an operator to thread the fastener elements of fastener chains into the sliders, and in particular, to a method and apparatus wherein the sliders are automatically raised, one at a time, to a position above a support.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The prior art, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,666, 3,110,414, 3,391,442 and 3,644,981 contains a number of methods and apparatus for feeding sliders single file to an assembly station for assembling sliders on fastener chains. In some of the prior art apparatus the sliders are not placed in a raised position or the raising mechanism is bulky, thus the support or raising mechanism interferes with an operator's fingers in feeding the fastener chain into the slider. Another deficiency in prior art slider assembly apparatus is that some slider feeding facilities have members pivoting or moving into engagement with other mechanisms fully exposed to pinch the fingers and hands of an operator thus creating an unsafe and hazardous condition.
The prior art also contains apparatus for automatically assembling slider fasteners on fastener chain as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,563; however, such automatic assembling apparatus is subject to many deficiencies such as being adaptable only for assembling sliders on a continuous slide fastener chain and thus not adaptable for assembling sliders on short fastener chain segments attached to garments, being subject to malfunction, etc.
A number of fixtures or holders for holding sliders in a raised position above a table in an assembly station are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,838,831, 3,685,814 and 3,792,521. In these prior art fixtures the sliders must be positioned by hand within the fixtures, thus requiring an additional step or procedure for an operator in assembling a slider on a slide fastener chain.